ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 780 / C&RL News ■ July/August 2001 Fas A n n t V i I e F s acts Free access to physics journalsThe Institute o f Physics Publishing now offers free electronic access to the latest complete issues o f 29 o f its journals. Archived issues and “accelerated articles," which are published online in partially completed forthcoming issues as soon as accepted, are still available only to subscribers. "Free access to current issues for non-subscribers," Institute o f Physics Publishing, January 9, 2001. http:// www.iop.org/free2001/. June 2, 2001 Bookstore sales g a in in g In contrast to the slumping economy, die book industry continues strong. Feb­ ruary became the "thirteenth month in a row that bookstore sales exceeded sales for the previous year.” Preliminary figures from the Bureau o f the Census Current Retail Trade Branch show an increase o f 7.2 percent in February follow­ ing a 14.1 percent increase in January. "Bookstore Sales M o v e Forward in February," American Booksellers Association Industry Newsroom, http:// www.bookweb.org/news/btw/4560.html. June 2, 2001 British Library Public C a ta lo gu e ■ The BLPC, the British Library’s new online catalog launched January 29th, now includes printed music scores not previously online and allows users to place orders for articles from journals or conference proceedings in the Library’s Docu­ ment Supply Centre. The library's previous Online Public Access Catalogue received more than 24 million hits last year. "T he British Library's New Catalogue Gives Free Access to Over 500 Years o f Hum an Endeavour," British Library Information, http://www.bl.uk/intormation/pr2001/04.html. June 2, 2001 Records preservation fu n d in g Funding requests for records preservation and access proposals received by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission increased by 33 per­ cent to total $18.5 million for FY 2001, three times the commission’s $6 million annual appropriation for grants since 1998. At its final meeting for FY 2001, the Commission recommended funding for 48 projects totaling $2,898,008. “NHPRC: M a y 2001 Commission M eeting. NHPRC Struggles to Balance Increasing Dem ands A gainst Constrained Resources," National Historical Publications and Records Commission, NHPRC Press Releases. http7/www.nara.gov/ nhprc/comm ay01.htmI. June 2. 2001 Con sum ers not ready fo r d ig ita l b ooks Market researchers Ipsos-NPD and the NPD Group reported at the BookExpo America in Chicago last month that only 23 percent of online users are likely (3%) or somewhat likely (20%) to purchase digital books, and “77% of consum­ ers think that digital books should cost less than either hardcovers or paper­ backs. " In contrast, 55 percent o f consumers who purchase goods and services on the Internet have purchased print books online. "N PD reports that eBooks M ay Be Ahead of Their Time," NPD News, M ay 31, 2001. bttp:/\vww.npd.conV. June 2,2001 Librarian shortfall in Los A n g e le s The Los Angeles Public Library, which “hired 93 entry-level librarians over a recent two-year period— but lost 92 to retirement and other forms o f attrition," currently has vacancies for 40 librarians, and “more than a third o f its 340 librarians are near retirement.'' Sue Fox, “Shortage of Librarians Stifling Expansion,“ Los Angeles Times. M a y 30, 2001. EbscoHost Newspaper Source. June 2, 2001 Ann Viles is coordinator o f reference and instruction at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, e-mail: vilesea@conrad.appstate.edu